Faith and Free Interpretation

Below is a copy of my email to some friends in response to some inquiry about the subject of faith. I am posting this here because I feel that it compliments the entry on "free interpretation".

...............................

Dear Friends...

Indeed, most of us from the "west" like I am (the Philippines is considered part of the west because of its 400 years history under the Spanish rule and another 50 years after that, under the US (see: the entry, The West), was born, raised and educated as Christians -- many continued to be believers of the faith, while others became disillusioned and became non-believers; others were "born again" and still others became fanatics; but most continued to be Christians in name, but not in practice.

Anyway, it reminded me of an anecdote that happened in a public university in Rio de Janeiro back in 2002, and to give you a sort of "climate" of the experience, below is part of my letter to my wife, Emma relating the experience:

"RIght after the launching of Silo's Message in Santiago, we went to Sao Paulo and later to Rio to reproduce the experience of the events in Chile -- and we were distributing leaflets with text of The Path and the link to silo.net with Carlos, a friend from Rio. While we were leafletting, Carlos who was about 15 yards away from me was approached by an elderly man who had been given a copy of the leaflet just some minutes ago. I saw the man talking to Carlos very animatedly.

After some time, Carlos went to me and told me that the man read The Path and was bothered by some of the things he read. He said that he is a Christian and that he believes in Jesus Christ, in heaven, in God and all that. He said that he liked what was written in The Path, but somehow felt that some of the passages conflicts with his faith and beliefs. Carlos wanted to know what he can say to the man. I told Carlos that there is no conflict between The Message and the man's faith. I told him to tell the man whatever his beliefs are -- they are the truth and nobody or anything can deny that truth; to tell him that if he wants to be a good Christian, all he has to do is follow Christ's teachings -- and nothing can go wrong and that everything will be alright with him.

Carlos went back to talk to the man and I saw the man smile as he left Carlos; as if he has rediscovered and regained a renewed faith in his beliefs.

Carlos told me later that the man went away very happy and content; so joyful that his beliefs were somehow confirmed.

I realized that this "free interpretation" is a most unique concept in terms of the beliefs. It dawned on me that we are not saying this for some "tactical", or "neutrality" reasons. I realized that we are saying this "the right to believe or not to believe" because it is the "truth". In as much that there are different levels of consciousness, there are different levels of logic, different levels of language, and therefore different levels of truth! Whatever one believes in, for that one it is the truth. And no one, can deny that truth. I say, I believe in immortality; but most probably, I am saying this because of my biographical and societal background. But, in reality, I too, doesn't really know that for a fact. Yes, I may have the intuition of it, but still, it is a belief. How can I impose this belief on another? Even, if I do have the experience of the transcendence, how can I impose this on others? If I do, then I am just initiating and perpetuating another dogma. Mine is the ONLY truth! Therefore, everyone else's is wrong! "What a boring concept!", I could almost hear Carlos saying. 

"Free interpretation", now, that is a most radical and liberating concept!"

I believed it then -- and I still believe it now: whatever what one's beliefs are, they are true and no one can deny that truth.

I have one caveat, though; having certainty of one's truth does not necessarily give one the right to impose that truth on others.

Hugs...

Godi

•••